Team champion Minisink Valley takes four Section 9 wrestling titles, Middletown second
CENTRAL VALLEY – Stephan Monchery can bask in the satisfaction that he is one of the greatest wrestlers in Section 9 history.
The Middletown senior wrapped up his third sectional title in a row – all at 285 pounds – for five top-six medal finishes in six years (there was no 2021 tournament due to the COVID outbreak).
He feels bad because it came at the expense of his friend and teammate, Rahmiere Bradley, for the second year in a row – last year it was a third-period pin and this time it was a handy 9-2 decision.
“It feels pretty good about leaving the season on a win for sections one last time,’’ said the soft-spoken Monchery, who has committed to wrestle for the University at Buffalo.
Monchery will head to the Feb. 23-24 state championships in Albany with the belief that he will win after finishing second a year ago. He will also seek to add to his school record for wins.
RESULTS: Here are the seeds, final results for the Section 9 Division I wrestling tournament.
Team points runner-up Middletown also got a title from D.J. Aviles at 138 and Bryson Tibbs at 215. Jacob Roger dropped his title match at 131. The Aviles victory came as a shock as an attack in the final seven seconds caught Minisink’s Wyatt Boice out of position and gave the Middletown sophomore a stunning 7-4 win – that contest was named the top finals match of the day.
Matt Mercado of third-place Newburgh bested Roger, posting the Goldbacks’ third title of the day. William Soto dominated Valley Central’s E.J. Vass at 101, as did Cooper Merli against Wallkill’s Marco Futia at 108.
More: Minisink junior P.J. Duke wastes no time on the wrestling mat, posts second section title
Champion P.J. Duke said his Minisink Valley team got a wake-up call with a recent loss to Middletown in the Section 9 Duals tournament. The Warriors went 4-2 in finals action, with titles from Luke Greiner (152), Duke (160), Quinten Morgan (170) and Zach Filip (190), a nice four-title run in the middle of the finals. Greiner has won three section titles.
“I felt confident,’’ said Greiner, who pinned Pine Bush’s Logan Pennell in 1:48. “I knew from the start I was going to go out there and win. I worked hard all year for this.’’
Additional titles were won by Warwick’s Brady Judd at 116, Valley Central’s Luke Satriano at 124 and Washingtonville’s Mason Ketcham at 145. Judd has only one loss this season. Satriano was the 2023 state champ at 110 last year. Ketcham won with a first-period reversal of Anthony Tresch of Minisink.
DIVISION II: Here are the seedings for the Section 9 Division II wrestling tournament.
GIRLS EVENT: Here are the seedings for the Section 9 girls wrestling tournament
The top three finishers in Division I advance to the state meet; only the top two advance from Sunday’s Division II tournament at F.D. Roosevelt.
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This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Section 9 Division I wrestling championship goes to Minisink
